Sterilizer and sterilization method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sterilizer using an impermeable sealed container and a sterilization method thereof, and more particularly, to a sterilizer using an impermeable sealed container and a sterilization method thereof, the sterilizer being capable of diagnosing residual moisture to improve sterilization reliability and increase sterilization efficiency, and directly being connected to a vaporizer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for solving the problems of taking a long time to sterilize and inefficiency in removing and purifying a sterilant that remains after the sterilization is completed, and for improving the problems of difficulty in ensuring sterilization reliability and inefficiency in using a sterilizer due to the same drying process irrespective of actual residual moisture.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sterilizer comprising:
 an impermeable sealed container directly connected to a vaporizer, flexible and elastic, and free of volume contraction and expansion under external pressure; and 
 a processor configured to check an effective volume of a sterilized article by measuring a time for which air is supplied to the impermeable sealed container. 
 
     
     
       2. The sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer is connected to a vacuum pump and an exhaust port to perform independent pressure control through a valve, and the vacuum pump and the exhaust port are also connected to a chamber to enable independent pressure control through the valve. 
     
     
       3. The sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer is directly connected to the impermeable sealed container to control pressure of the impermeable sealed container by controlling pressure of the vaporizer, and the impermeable sealed container is supplied with air and a sterilant through the vaporizer. 
     
     
       4. The sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the impermeable sealed container is supplied with air and a sterilant through the vaporizer, and the supply of air is made through the vaporizer to increase heating efficiency inside the impermeable sealed container. 
     
     
       5. The sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein accuracy of the effective volume is increased by measuring a time at which internal pressure of the impermeable sealed container reaches a specific value. 
     
     
       6. The sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein, in order to increase accuracy of the effective volume, air is repeatedly injected with an air injection time and a holding time. 
     
     
       7. The sterilizer of  claim 6 , wherein time resolution is controlled by adjusting a ratio of the injection time and the holding time. 
     
     
       8. The sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein introduced is a method of measuring a number of venting cycles until internal pressure of the impermeable sealed container reaches a specific value, as non-integer rational numbers, using a median formula. 
     
     
       9. The sterilizer of  claim 1 , wherein, when the effective volume check of the sterilized article is completed, supply of the air is cut off and a change in pressure per unit time in the impermeable sealed container is measured to detect a pouch sealing error of the impermeable sealed container. 
     
     
       10. A sterilization method comprising:
 initializing to identify a chamber, an impermeable sealed container containing a sterilized article, and a locking device; 
 heating and drying the chamber and the impermeable sealed container; 
 sterilizing; and 
 residue checking and completing a process. 
 
     
     
       11. The sterilization method of  claim 10 , wherein the heating and drying of the chamber and the impermeable sealed container comprises:
 initial pumping to prepare a low level vacuum; 
 checking an effective volume of the sterilized article; 
 heating the impermeable sealed container and the chamber; 
 checking residual moisture; and 
 drying and vacuuming to obtain base pressure. 
 
     
     
       12. The sterilization method of  claim 11 , wherein, in the checking of the effective volume of the sterilized article, the effective volume of the sterilized article is checked by measuring an internal pressure value of the impermeable sealed container and measuring a time to reach a specific value. 
     
     
       13. The sterilization method of  claim 12 , wherein, in the initial pumping of preparing the low level vacuum, pressure of the chamber is relatively low compared to pressure of the impermeable sealed container, and thus a channel for forming a vacuum of the sealed container is ensured. 
     
     
       14. The sterilization method of  claim 12 , wherein, after the initial pumping of preparing the low level vacuum, a channel between a vaporizer and the chamber is opened to match a pressure value, air is injected into the impermeable sealed container, and an injection time of the air and a holding time for blocking injection of the air and holding the blocking are separated and repeated to increase accuracy of the effective volume check. 
     
     
       15. The sterilization method of  claim 11 , wherein, in the heating of the impermeable sealed container and the chamber, the inside of the chamber is kept constant at pressure lower than atmospheric pressure to facilitate the injection of air into the impermeable sealed container. 
     
     
       16. The sterilization method of  claim 15 , wherein a time required for the heating varies depending on the effective volume of the sterilized article. 
     
     
       17. The sterilization method of  claim 11 , wherein, in the checking of residual moisture, when the inside of the impermeable sealed container reaches pressure lower than water vapor pressure through vacuum exhaust, an amount of water evaporated is measured to estimate a total amount of water. 
     
     
       18. The sterilization method of  claim 17 , wherein, when the inside of the sealed container reaches certain pressure through the vacuum exhaust, a valve is closed to isolate the inside of the impermeable sealed container, and then a change in pressure is measured. 
     
     
       19. The sterilization method of  claim 18 , wherein, according to the measured rate of the change in pressure per unit time, in the drying and vacuuming to obtain base pressure, a drying process time is variable.